Dogs and humans have lived closely together for thousands of years. In the process, dogs have developed special social skills to communicate and cooperate with humans. However, to date, much of the research into this relationship has originated from Western societies. The central question of the study was therefore: Is the special dog–human relationship a universal outcome of shared evolution and domestication—or is it primarily culturally shaped?
Cognitive psychologist Dr Juliane Bräuer from the University of Jena, together with her team, investigated hunter-dog relationships in five culturally diverse regions: Germany, Madagascar, Mongolia, Peru and Vanuatu.
»In our field research, we focused specifically on hunting dogs because humans and animals have to cooperate particularly closely in this context,« explains Bräuer. »It is likely that this very cooperation was in fact a key factor in the domestication of the dog—the very first animal ever to be domesticated.« A total of 164 dog-human teams accepted six standardised behavioural tests. Among other things, the researchers investigated whether dogs follow human pointing gestures, seek help in uncertain situations, or can successfully draw people’s attention to something themselves.
The results reveal a clear pattern: the dog-human relationship functions in a very similar way worldwide. In all regions, dogs understood human gestures, communicated actively with their owners and relied heavily on them for guidance in difficult situations.
A consistent picture also emerged among the people: dog owners described their pets as reliable partners, valued their company and saw them not merely as working animals, but as an enrichment to their lives. »We had expected to find marked cultural differences, but found that the dog-human relationship is surprisingly universal across the globe,« summarises Bräuer.
Despite the strong similarities, differences also emerged, primarily linked to environmental conditions and hunting practices. For example, hunters in Vanuatu are much better at interpreting their dogs’ cues than those in any other region. On the South Pacific islands, dogs are particularly important for tracking wild boar in dense undergrowth, which requires a very fine degree of coordination between human and animal. In Germany, by contrast, dogs rely more heavily on their owners and respond more reliably to their signals—presumably as a result of more intensive training methods.
Overall, however, the similarities clearly outweigh the differences. For the researchers, this suggests that the close relationship between humans and dogs may be deeply rooted in their shared evolutionary history. As early as around 30,000 years ago, both species may have benefited from one another—particularly when hunting: Dogs received food and protection, whilst humans received assistance in tracking and pursuing prey. »Hunting requires cooperation, attention and trust«, says Bräuer. »Our findings support the assumption that it is precisely these abilities that have shaped the relationship between humans and dogs over millennia.«
Scientific Reports
Observational study
People
Striking Global Similarities in Dog-Human Interactions
23-Jun-2026